ARSENAL YAZIDI KUPAA, YAICHAPA CARDIFF 2 - 0
Arsenal 2 Cardiff 0
Arsenal beat managerless Cardiff with two late goals to return to the top of the Barclays Premier League with a 2-0 win at the Emirates Stadium, where Ole Gunnar Solskjaer watched from the stands.
The Bluebirds held out in the face of enormous pressure until Arsenal substitute Nicklas Bendtner crashed home with just two minutes left and Theo Walcott knocked in a second on the break in stoppage time.
Former Manchester United forward Solskjaer travelled to London on New Year's Day as talks stepped up over him replacing the sacked Malky Mackay, and the appointment could be confirmed on Thursday if negotiations between the Molde boss and Cardiff owner Vincent Tan progress well.
VIDEO Scroll down to watch Arsene Wenger post match reaction
Big moment: Nicklas Bendtner celebrates with Bacary Sagna after scoring his late goal
Following up: Bendtner pounces to score on the second attempt after Marshall had saved his initial effort
Ouch! Bendtner twisted his ankle and was limping after scoring his goal
That'll seal it: Theo Walcott celebrates his goal in stoppage time
Back to the top: Walcott lifts the ball over Marshall to make it 2-0
Meet the new boss? Ole Gunnar Solskjaer watched the match at the Emirates alongside Cardiff owner Vincent Tan
MATCH FACTS
Arsenal: Szczesny
6, Sagna 6, Mertesacker 6, Koscielny 6, Monreal 6, Flamini 6 (Rosicky
65, 7), Arteta 6, Walcott 7, Wilshere 7, Cazorla 7, Podolski 5 (Bendtner
64,7 (Vermaelen 89))
Substitutes not used: Fabianski, Jenkinson, Miyaichi, Gnabry
Manager: Arsene Wenger 7
Scorer: Bendtner 88, Walcott 90+2
Booked: Mertesacker
Cardiff City: Marshall 6, McNaughton 6, Caulker 7, Turner 7, John 6, Noone 6, Medel 6 (Gunnarsson 61, 5), Mutch 7 (Cowie 68, 5), Kim 5, Whittingham 6, Campbell 5 (Maynard 80)
Substitutes not used: Hudson, Cornelius, Smith, Lewis
Booked: Turner, Marshall
Manager: David Kerslake 6
Referee: Jonathan Moss (West Yorkshire) 6
Attendance: 60,004
Player ratings by MATT BARLOW at the Emirates
Substitutes not used: Fabianski, Jenkinson, Miyaichi, Gnabry
Manager: Arsene Wenger 7
Scorer: Bendtner 88, Walcott 90+2
Booked: Mertesacker
Cardiff City: Marshall 6, McNaughton 6, Caulker 7, Turner 7, John 6, Noone 6, Medel 6 (Gunnarsson 61, 5), Mutch 7 (Cowie 68, 5), Kim 5, Whittingham 6, Campbell 5 (Maynard 80)
Substitutes not used: Hudson, Cornelius, Smith, Lewis
Booked: Turner, Marshall
Manager: David Kerslake 6
Referee: Jonathan Moss (West Yorkshire) 6
Attendance: 60,004
Player ratings by MATT BARLOW at the Emirates
Arsenal, meanwhile, again answered their critics to dig deep and overcome their injury problems to leapfrog Manchester City back to the summit.
With Olivier Giroud missing because of an ankle problem, Lukas Podolski led the attack.
However, it was pacy forward Walcott who provided the main outlet as Arsenal aimed to play him away behind the Cardiff defence.
On 14 minutes, England midfielder Jack Wilshere, who turned 22 on Wednesday, whipped a low ball in from the left which Walcott was just unable to reach as he slid in at the far post and put his shot into the side-netting.
Arsenal slowly started to dominate possession, with Santi Cazorla firing wide from 20 yards after another positive break down the right.
The home fans in the Clock End were screaming for a penalty on 25 minutes when Gary Medel looked to have tripped Wilshere as he darted into the left side of the Cardiff area, but referee Jon Moss was not interested.
In a rare Cardiff attack, Jordon Mutch got away down the left and drilled in a low shot which Wojciech Szczesny kicked clear.
Clever play by Cazorla in the left side of Cardiff box saw the Spaniard pick out a ball back to Walcott, but his snapshot flew wide.
Back top: Arsenal returned to the Premier League summit after their win
Free header: Arsenal's Per Mertesacker heads wide of the target during the second half
Gutted: Per Mertesacker and Jack Wilshere react with disbelief as a chance goes begging
Aerial battle: Craig Noone jumps with Nacho Monreal during the first period
Cardiff felt they should have been given a penalty when a cross from Craig Noone came off Nacho Monreal's boot and up on to his arm, but the officials were having none of it.
Arsenal continued to press, but lacked a decisive pass in the final third.
Breakthrough: Nicklas Bendtner's 88th minute goal on our Match Zone
Midfield rumble: Jack Wilshere tries to find some room to manoeuvre as Gary Medel challenges
In the book: Referee Jonathan Moss shows Arsenal defender Per Mertesacker a yellow card
On 65 minutes, Gunners boss Arsene Wenger made a double change as Tomas Rosicky and Nicklas Bendtner replaced Mathieu Flamini and Podolski.
Per Mertesacker glanced a bullet header wide from Walcott's cross and the big German was again close when arriving at the far post from a corner as his downward header brushed the woodwork.
Doubling up: Theo Walcott's second goal for Arsenal on our Match Zone service
Tussle: Theo Walcott attempts to sprint away from Kim Bo-Kyung during the early stages of the game
On the slide: Arsenal's Theo Walcott stretches for the ball as Cardiff's Ben Turner closes him down
Commanding: Jack Wilshere's heat map from the match
MATCH ZONE ANALYSIS
It remained one-way traffic heading into the final 15 minutes and Walcott looked to have been clipped by Ben Turner as he darted into the right side of the Cardiff penalty area.
Sagna's looping header was knocked off the line by Steven Caulker, but the visitors' resistance was finally broken on 88 minutes.
Monreal floated over a deep cross from the left, which Sagna headed goalwards and after David Marshall made a fine reaction block, Bendtner was alert to stab the loose ball home.
January sales: One Arsenal fans holds up a homemade wants list for the transfer window
Watching on: Cardiff owner Vincent Tan with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer at the Emirates
In stoppage time, Walcott was sent clear by Wilshere and clipped the ball over Marshall to seal another hard-earned victory.
Wet and wild: Fans arrive at the Emirates Stadium for Arsenal's match with Cardiff City
Unpleasant: A programme seller at Arsenal battles the wind and rain
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